WATCH: Emma Raducanu celebrates birthday stuck in a room amid Malaga floods; thanks BJK Cup team for making it "special" despite tough circumstancesÂ
Emma Raducanu celebrated her 22nd birthday with Team Great Britain in Malaga as they prepare for their Billie Jean King Cup tie against Germany. The Brit later shared glimpses of the occasion and thanked her team for making the day special despite widespread flooding in the city.
Severe thunderstorms and torrential rain recently struck coastal Spain, forcing thousands to evacuate. Malaga, where the Billie Jean King Cup is being held, was also impacted, with nearly 3,000 people evacuated. This comes just weeks after storms caused widespread flooding across Mallorca, affecting areas such as the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Raducanu, currently part of Team Great Britain, celebrated her 22nd birthday in Malaga on Wednesday, November 13. The former US Open champion shared a bunch of images, featuring moments from the celebrations and reflecting on past on-court memories.
"Thank you for the all birthday wishes, I am so grateful for all my friends too (who couldn't all add here) for pouring extra love into today and being there through all big s/o to my team for making it a special day out here," she captioned the post.
She also shared a clip from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) on her Instagram story, showing her unwrapping a present that turned out to be a group photograph of her team.
"Thanks for making my FC birthday as good as it can be inside in this weather," she wrote.
Raducanu was also wished by her peer on her 22nd birthday.
Paula Badosa penned a warm birthday wish for Emma Raducanu
Former World No. 2 Paula Badosa also extended her heartfelt wishes to Emma Raducanu on her 22nd birthday. The Spaniard shared an image of the two embracing at the net after their recent clash at the Citi Open on her Instagram story.
"Happy bday Emmita," she wrote.
Raducanu’s last appearance was in the Korea Open quarterfinals, where she faced Daria Kasatkina. The 22-year-old was forced to retire mid-match due to a left foot ligament sprain, which sidelined her for the remainder of the Asian hard-court swing.
She is set to return to action at the Billie Jean King Cup knockout stages in Malaga. Speaking to local reporters recently, Raducanu expressed that performing well at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals would mean a lot to her.
The 2021 US Open is joined by Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Heather Watson, and Olivia Nicholls in Great Britain's squad for their match against Germany at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena on Friday, November 15. The winner of the tie will take on defending champions Canada in the quarterfinals.